The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to indicate a timeline for deciding the dispute between two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress over the party's name and its "flowers and grass" symbol.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a plea by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the EC's decision to freeze the TMC's name and election symbol.
The bench asked senior advocate D S Naidu, appearing for the poll panel, to apprise it of the time required to finally decide the dispute. The matter will be heard next on September 28.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Banerjee, said he could not seek a stay on the October 6 West Bengal Assembly bypoll as the election process had already begun.
Sibal argued that the EC's decision was flawed as it was taken during the election process, leaving Banerjee without an effective remedy to challenge the freezing order.
"Maybe what is required is to issue a direction to the (Election) Commission that they should start hearing the matter, hear it for some time on a day-to-day basis, whatever evidence or proof you have to lead, and decide it," Chief Justice Surya Kant said.
The Supreme Court had on September 21 agreed to list Banerjee's plea for urgent hearing.
The EC had allotted separate names and symbols to the two rival factions after passing an interim order barring both groups from using the name "All India Trinamool Congress" and reserving the party's existing symbol pending a final decision.
The poll panel took the step after hearing leaders of the two factions led by Banerjee and Arup Roy, saying the dispute required substantive determination under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
(With inputs from PTI)